Sabella: Argentina have met minimum target

Alejandro Sabella says Argentina have already achieved their “minimum target” by reaching the FIFA World Cup semi-finals.

Gonzalo Higuain scored the only goal in a quarter-final victory over Belgium on Saturday, producing a superb finish to find the bottom left-hand corner in the eighth minute.

And while conceding the last-four had been his pre-tournament target, coach Sabella called on his players go a step further and reach the final.

“We met the minimum target, now we go for more,” he said. “Let’s see if we can get something else.”

Sabella also paid tribute to the contribution of Lionel Messi, who is currently his side’s top scorer in Brazil with four goals and equalled Diego Maradona’s tally of 91 caps for his country in the last-eight clash..

“Messi played a great game,” he continued. “He is not only there to score goals. It about his influence.

“Every ball from Messi is a hope for us.”

Angel Di Maria limped off during the first half of the clash with Belgium, but Sabella is keeping his fingers crossed that the winger is back for the semi-final against the Netherlands or Costa Rica.

“I hope the lesion of Di María is not serious,” he added.